Light aircraft carrying two people crashes in Greater Manchester

Emergency services are responding to reports of a light aircraft crash near Rochdale, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

Two people are believed to have been onboard the aircraft, which crashed in farmland in Littleborough on Tuesday morning.

A spokesman for Birmingham Airport confirmed a private light aircraft left its XLR Executive Jet Centre at around 10am on Tuesday.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 said a Cirrus SR20 departed Birmingham just before 10am, travelling for around 40 minutes before the last signal was received south of the M62 motorway near Marsden, West Yorkshire.

Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 11.30am and continue to support on-site, according to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

Images circulated on social media appear to show a yellow parachute caught on a pylon near to the crash site.

According to Cirrus – the manufacturer of the aircraft thought to be involved – a parachute is included as standard equipment on all its certified aircraft models.

A spokesman for the National Grid confirmed it is working with the emergency services to support their response and help make the area safe, adding the electricity supply is unaffected.

Chief Superintendent Danny Inglis, district commander for GMP’s Rochdale district, said: “We are working closely with emergency service colleagues and partner agencies to establish the full circumstances.

“There will be an enhanced presence as officers and investigators comprehensively survey the area and ensure all available evidence is recovered.

“We would ask people to please avoid the area while emergency services remain on scene, to ensure that a full investigation and review can be carried out.

“If anyone has any information, or witnessed the crash, we would urge you to get in touch with us.”

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed it has launched an investigation into the crash and sent a team to the site.

In a statement, the AAIB said: “An accident involving a light aircraft which occurred today near Rochdale, Greater Manchester has been notified to the AAIB. An investigation has been launched and a multidisciplinary team of inspectors are on their way to the accident site.”